Police: Boca man put his mother, 70, in a headlock

April 22, 2011|By Cynthia Roldan, The Palm Beach Post

A Boca Raton man was arrested on Thursday on assault and battery charges after he allegedly placed his mother, 70, in a headlock and put a kitchen knife to her neck while arguing about money, according to Boca Raton police.

Joseph Hochstein, 46, was arrested after his mother reported to police that, during a particularly heated argument on Wednesday, Hochstein held a knife to her neck.

That, she said, was in addition to the ongoing problems she has with him, according to the report.

Hochstein's mother said that around 11 p.m. Wednesday, she was doing the dishes when she and her son began arguing over the money he asked for, according to the report.

The woman, whose name was blacked out in the report, said Hochstein "wrapped one hand around her neck and placed his other hand over her mouth, while he was upset because she would not give him any money," according to the report.

In addition, Hochstein's mother said she called the police immediately because Hochstein had told her, "If you call the police, you'll be dead before they get here," the report stated.

The woman's husband, 74, Hochstein's stepfather, told the police officer that he saw his wife in a headlock, but he didn't see Hochstein holding a knife, according to the report. But the man, whose name also was blacked out in the report, added that he had not seen the entire argument.

Hochstein was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on Thursday and charged with battery on a person 65 years or older, and aggravated assault on a person 65 or older.